Leffel was born in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He holds a degree in Music Business Management from James Madison University and a CELTA (Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults) from Cambridge University. Leffel has worked in New York, Seoul, and Istanbul. He has lived in Nashville, Tennessee since 1999 with his wife and daughter.
Leffel has been published as a travel writer since the early 1990s and is the author of four books. He has been a regular columnist for Transitions Abroad magazine since 2002. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including Arthur Frommer’s Budget Travel, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Imbibe magazine, International Living, MSNBC.com, Luxury Latin America, the Boston Globe, and St. Petersburg Times newspaper. He has reviewed hundreds of hotels in 16 countries for a travel trade publication and is frequently quoted in the media as a travel expert.
Leffel edits the award-winning site PerceptiveTravel.com, featuring nonfiction narrative travel stories by published book authors. PerceptiveTravel.com was founded in 2005. Its stories have been featured in several anthologies, including the annual Best American Travel Writing series from Houghton Mifflin, plus the Best Travel Writing series, Best Women's Travel Writing series and More Sand in My Bra from Travelers’ Tales Publishing.
Leffel is the author of two blogs: Cheapest Destinations and Practical Travel Gear.
The World’s Cheapest Destinations: 21 Countries Where Your Money is Worth a Fortune.
Booklocker (2009), 3rd edition, ISBN 978-1601457011
Antonio Villardi Editore (2007), Italian edition
Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune: The Contrarian Traveler’s Guide to Getting More for Less. Recommendations on stretching one's travel budget by avoiding the herd mentality.
Travelers’ Tales Publishing (2006), ISBN 978-1932361391
Traveler’s Tool Kit: Mexico and Central America, co-written with Rob Sangster.
Menasha Ridge Press, 2008), ISBN 978-0897329842
Hip-Hop, Inc.: Success Strategies of the Rap Moguls, co-written with Richard Oliver.
Thunder’s Mouth Press/Avalon (2006), ISBN 1560257326
Leffel has also contributed to several business books.
2010, Silver Certificate: Solas Best Travel Writing Awards in the Destinations category for his article "Unbalanced in the Sinking City"
2010, Bronze Certificate: Solas Best Travel Writing Awards in the Doing Good or the Kindness of Strangers category for his article, "The Collision."
2010, Second Prize Transitions Abroad Narrative Travel Writing Contest for his article, "The Collision."
2010, First Prize North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) Awards in the Best Article for the Internet category for "Unbalanced in the Sinking City"
2008, Guidebook of the Year, Planeta.com Book of the Year Awards for Traveler's Tool Kit: Mexico and Central America
2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, Best of the Web: Forbes Travel Blogs for his Cheapest Destinations Blog
2007, First Prize: North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) Awards in the Hotels and Resorts category for his article, “A Spa Built for Two.”
2007, Finalist: Travvies Best Travel Blog on the Web Award for Cheapest Destinations blog
2007, Bronze Certificate: Solas Best Travel Writing Awards in the Bad Trips category for his article "Shake and Bake on the Equator".
2006, Grand Prize: North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) Awards in the Journalist/Photographer category for his article “Meat and Malbec at Midnight”.
2006, Finalist: North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) Awards in the Local Lifestyle category for his article “The Life of a Peruvian Porter”.
2006, Finalist: North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA) Awards in the Best Travel Guide category for his book Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune: The Contrarian Traveler’s Guide to Getting More for Less
2006, Finalist: Planeta.com's Travel Book of the Year Award for his book Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune: The Contrarian Traveler’s Guide to Getting More for Less
